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Quality of Diets with Fluidized Bed Combustion Residue Treatment: I. Rat Trials

Div. of Anim. and Vet. Sci., Agric. and For. Exp. Stn., P.O. Box 6108, West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV 26506;

M. K. Head

Div. of Family Resour., West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV 26506;

J. L. Hern and O. L. Bennett

USDA-Agric. Res. Service, Appalachian Soil and Water Conserv. Res. Lab., Beckley, WV 25802-0867.

^* Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Feeding trials were conducted with rats (Rattus rattus) to examine effects of soil application, or dietary inclusion, of fluidized bed combustion residue (FBCR) on the composition and quality of foods. Four diets (vegetable protein, egg protein, chicken, chicken + dietary FBCR) prepared with either FBCR or lime (control) treatments, were fed to weanling, female rats in three growth and reproduction trials. Intake, growth rate, and composition of body and organs of rats were measured. Rats in one trial were bred, their litters maintained on dietary treatments, and the offspring rebred. Treatment (FBCR vs. lime) x diet interactions on food composition and animal responses generally were not significant. Treatment had little effect on element composition of diets; mineral concentrations were in normal ranges. Diet treatment with FBCR depressed (P < 0.01) food intake and growth of rats in one trial, but not in others, and had no effect (P < 0.05) on body water, protein, ether extract, or gross energy composition. Some differences in element concentrations in the carcass and organs of rats and pups resulted from FBCR treatment, but effects were small and inconsistent. Litters from the first reproductive cycle appeared normal, except for animals fed the chicken + dietary FBCR treatment, on which pups showed poor growth and anemia. Offspring from certain diets were rebred and litters showed a high mortality, although this was not associated specifically with FBCR treatment. Results indicated no major detrimental effects on food composition, or growth, tissue element accumulation, and reproduction in the rat relating to use of FBCR as a soil amendment.

Scientific Paper no. 2079 of the West Virginia Agric. and For. Exp. Stn., Morgantown, WV.

Received for publication June 25, 1987.